Drive or Fly: Little Elm, TX to Garland, TX?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

No scheduled commercial flights found for ACT–TXK. At 230 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 56m

Distance

230.7 mi

Total Cost

$79

CO2

93 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$44

Hotel (1 room, 0 nights) $0

Meals (1 pax, 1 day) $35

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Comfortable one-day drive

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

+ Likely faster door-to-door than flying

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

4h 11m

22m in the air

Air Distance

186 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

48 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Little Elm, TX → ACT 50m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 22m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TXK → Garland, TX 59m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Little Elm, TX ACT — Waco Regional Airport 33 mi, ~50m drive

Garland, TX TXK — Texarkana Regional Airport (Webb Field) 39 mi, ~59m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ACT and TXK. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

10h 29m

8h 49m on rail

Total Cost

$48

CO2

13 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Little Elm, TX → Mcgregor Amtrak (MCG) 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 529m

Arrival 10m

Texarkana Amtrak Station (TXA) → Garland, TX 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $48) $48

Estimated based on distance. Check amtrak.com for current prices.

Stations

From MCG — Mcgregor Amtrak 0 mi, ~30m drive

To TXA — Texarkana Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	4h 56m	4h 11m	10h 29m
Total cost (1 person)	$79	$182	$48
Carbon footprint	93 kg CO₂	48 kg CO₂	13 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	Data unavailable

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Transit: Amtrak GTFS — fares estimated

Confidence: Medium — airports identified, fares estimated

Costs are estimates. Actual flight prices vary by airline, date, and booking time. Drive costs based on OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices. Computed Jul 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

230.7 mi 4h 55m

via TX 31, TX 14, US 271

Shortest (+1 min)

228.7 mi 4h 56m

via TX 155, US 271, TX 164

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Little Elm, TX to Garland, TX with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.